The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1887-06-17
..SrAR sPANGLED nANNER.,
Tile Printer VINE First Put tAe Famous
verses IN Ty pc.

as q printers apprentice set up in type the
''Star Spangled Banner from Francis
Scott Keys original manuscript, Mr..
Sands was born in the quaint old city Of
Annapolis. in the year 1900, When a mere
boy lie came to Baltimore to seek a living.
He secured employment in the Office Of the
baltimore Wig, but those were times Of
war, and the Wings course ran so counter
to public sentiment hat its discretion per-
suaded it to die voluntarily before it was
killed by the outraged populace. Then all
the printers, including the young appren-
ticc, were transferred to the office Of the
other paper of the city, TIE Aaaerjeon.
September, 1914, was full Of anxiety for
Baltimore. The British feet was coming
up the Chesapeake, p~illaging as it came.
The British army was making for this sec
ton to join in the attack on Baltimore.
Every man was pressed into service for
the defense of the city. Even the women
extended their services. The editors and
North Point to help to fight off the invad-
ers. Along with them started apprentice
Sands, but ne was such a little toddler that
he was sent back to take care of the office.
The flag that floated over Fort MeHenry
contained nearly 400 yards of bunting. 1t
had fifteen stars and fifteen stripes. Mrs.
Mary Piekersgill, whose mother had made
the first flag of the revolution under Gen.
Washington direction, had worked Upon
it many nights until. after - o'clock in
order to make it strong enough to resist
British bullets. How well she succeeded
the result conelusively showed.
The British fleet was in the mouth of
the Patapseo. Among the prisoners Of
wal on board was DR.. Beanes, a well
known and accomplished Maryland gentle
man. Every attempt Of the Americans to
get him released had failed. As a final
effort. Francis Scott Key, a Maryland law.
yer, and the intimate friend Of Chief jus
tice fancy, consented to 90 TO the British
commander and lay the case before him.
He boarded the ship under a flag of truce.
Being a thorough gentleman and a charm
ll1E EODfEISdtlDi4dliot it W 10 CObIiStlS1N ic-
ceiyed. His pleading was successful. The
admiral consented to the release Of DR..
Bcanes, but both were informed that they
would not be allowed to leave the ship for
several days. Admiral Cochrane apollo
gized for not accommodating them on his
own ship, saying that it was crowded
already with officers of the army, but that
they would be well taken care Of on the
Surprise, commanded by his son. They
were accordingly transferred.
They were put in a position to see dis
tfnctly the flag at Fort McHeury.
All night Key remained or the deck
watching every shell from the moment ii
was fired until it fell, listening with breath
less interest to hear if IN explosion fol-
lowed. Suddenly the bombardment ceased.
What was the matter. Repeatedly the
question was asked, but it brought forth
no information. Had the fort surrendered?
He did not know. had the attack been
abandoned? He could not learn.
Through the long hours he paced the
decks watching with indescribable anxiety
for the return Of day, and looking every
few minutes at his watch to see how long
he should have to wait for it. As soon as
it dawned and before it was light enough
to see objects at a distance, his glass was
turned toward the fort. The light came
slowly, but through the fading darkness
the welcome sight doomed that amply re-
paid the weary watching Of the slow-mov-
ing hours.
The flag was still there.
The reaction after so much suspense was
great. Key, who was a jealous patriot,
was filled with joy unspeakable. In the
excitement of the moment he began to
scrlbble on the back of an old envelope.
AS he did so he saw the British soldiers re-
treating to their ships. This added new
inspiration. Before he was througha boat
came to take him to the land. But the
poetic fervor was in his soul, and he con-
tinued to write as the boat proceeded. BY
the time the shore was reached he had
completed the words and ''The Star
Spangled Banner was born.
When he got TO the city Mr.. Key men-
toned causually to one Of his friends that
he had written a view verses about the
bombardment. At their request he read
them. They were enthusiastically received.
The friends prevailed upon him to have the
poem printed. Mr.. Key and Capt. Nichol-
son took it TO the 4merican Office, where
Apprentice Sands was in charge.
"After the battle" says Mr. Sands,
when every one was leaving, Mr.. Murphy
our chief, returned to the Office and made
arrangements to write up the battle.
During tina time the original manuscript
of the Star Spangled Banner was brought
into the Office. I suppose, because was
the only one there, it was given to me and
was the first to set it up in type
It was printed in hand bill style. In less
than an hour it was all over town and was
hailed with enthusiasm. 1t was sung in the
theatre and took its place at once as a ma
tional song. The first title of the song
was .sDefense Of Fort M~cIIenry: tune,
Anacreon in Heaven" and the author was
50 modest about it that he refused to let